


Eidolon

by Gallifrey_Immigrant



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005), Doctor Who - Various Authors
Genre: Gen, division era
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:21:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27807460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gallifrey_Immigrant/pseuds/Gallifrey_Immigrant
Summary: Journey Blue, before she met the Twelfth Doctor, has an encounter with an early Doctor who doesn't know it yet. Ghosts of the future, and incarnations from the past, will collide, and Journey's brother--and her life--will hang in the balance.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 1





	Eidolon

A small dark-skinned girl peeked out from the shadows. Journey Blue hadn't been expecting this--there was an alarm resounding off the base, and in a part of the base that was supposed to be impenetrable. So, Journey had either been expecting a Level-16 Security attack, in which case she'd better hope back up was arriving, or someone had hacked into the system, in which case the computer security manager had better hoped they didn't get fired. What she saw, once she descended the steps into the darkness, was a small girl playing with some circuitry on-board. Bits and pieces of metal were lying around, as the girl tinkered with what was supposed to be high-grade indestructible machinery.

The little girl turned around, and smiled. It was a wide, open smile, with no traces of being aware that she was breaking and entering. "Hi. Who are you?"

"You're not supposed to be here," said Journey Blue.

"Why?" asked the girl.

"This is restricted airspace," said Journey. "According to several law codes."

The girl frowned. Her eyes focused deeply on Journey, as if they were searching for something. "Who wrote the codes?"

"I – well, my boss did," said Journey. "I think."

"Oh," said the girl. She pondered this for a few seconds. "Um, I'm told people have names. What's yours?"

"Private Journey Blue," said Journey. She holstered her laser rifle. "What's yours?"

The girl hesitated. She pushed herself off the floor, and Journey could see that the girl was wearing strange red robes. "Pick a name for me."

"Listen, I'm serious when I say you shouldn't be here. Did someone bring you here? Are you part of a distraction?" asked Journey.

The girl's robes seemed brighter – wait, they were brighter. They were glowing. Looking down at her robes, the girl scowled. It reminded Journey of the expression her niece gave when told to do her training work. Looking back at Journey, she said "Name, please!"

"I – Sera," said Journey. It was her sister's name.

The girl cocked her head. Then she giggled. "I can be a Sera! Now, someone's coming to find me. I need to find a place to surprise them from."

In the blink of an eye, Sera ran past her, and even deeper into the top-secret impenetrable facility. Journey cursed under her breath, and started to follow the girl. She could see the bright purple light of Sera's robes, and followed it.

And then someone appeared in the space in front of her. A man in even more elaborate clothes, with eyes of graveness, and a headdress covered with a strange script. He called out "Child! I am tired of sending agents to find you every time you get a new fancy. Us Shabo--Gallifreyans must not be caught interfering."

"Uh, hi," said Journey. "Is that little girl your daughter?"

The man's head swiveled quickly behind him. His face looked unmistakably like a tired parent, etched with lines. Something about the muscles in his face seemed off, like they were twitching strangely, and his eyes sometimes shifted oddly, blinking all-white at times. He sighed, and he waved his hand. "Sleep."

"Ex--".

Journey couldn't even start her sentence before hitting the floor, her eyes going quiet. When she awoke, she was back at her station. At first, she thought it was a dream. And then she noticed a note in her pocket, saying "Thank you for the name – Sera!"

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_ Ryza eyed the Experiment nervously. She was sitting away from him, looking out at the time-ship's window, though as all it showed was the phantasmagoria of the vortex, he wasn't sure why. Pink hair spilled lazily around a red coat, covered in a strange gold script. (Was it a Terran script?) The Experiment wore the sash of the Division on her waist, but the rest of her clothes weren't regulation. She'd been ignoring the clothes regulations more and more these days. Normally, the Council would have fired anyone who ignored them. But the Experiment, no matter how much it was claimed otherwise, always got unique treatment. _

_ This had not been the first time Ryza had met the Experiment. They had traveled twice on Division missions. The first one was a simple scouting mission, before the Experiment had technically been a part of the Division. At the time, Ryza wasn't even sure the Experiment could speak. But eventually, he did, turning and offering a jelly treat. Ryza declined. _

_ The second time...he couldn't remember the second time. They told him that he had met someone, and gone screaming mad. All he recalled was getting dragged from a swamp, by a dark-skinned man with short, low-cut hair. It took him a moment to recognize that this was the Experiment. He gave him a small side-glance, but stayed silent. There was a rushing sound behind him, and Ryza looked back. _

_ An army of small, goblin-like creatures were moving from the swamp. They trailed mud behind themselves, screeching loudly. He could see them shoveling their way through the muck, reaching out, their eyes hungry and focused on him. Good thing they seemed stuck in the swamp. _

_ "Pting," explained the Experiment calmly. "You fell into a swamp that also happened to be a nest for them. They'll eat anything, especially when they're young. Or old – always forget which one's juvenile stage or adult." _

_ Ryza pushed himself up. The Experiment was watching him carefully, giving that focused stare that Ryza had always seen on the Shobogans infused with the Experiment's influence. Would Ryza start looking like that now? Sometimes Ryza would listen to his own heartbeat, wondering if his body was already growing the second heart-appendage that many of the Infused had gotten. _

_ "Where's the rest of the crew?" asked Ryza. _

_ "They're near the time-ship. To be honest, they wanted to leave you behind. I had an inkling you might be alive, so I chose to look around for you," said the Experiment. He looked up at the bright white sun, and then stared for a few seconds. Sniffing the air, he said "Don't worry about us getting left behind--Tecteun wouldn't let them leave me to die. You, maybe, but not me." _

_ There was a hint of scorn in his voice, which surprised Ryza. It surprised Ryza how normal the Experiment sounded. Ryza had heard stories of how powerful the Experiment had been in his youth, about the cults that had sprung up around him, and about how the Experiment had ruled as a goddess for a whole 5 centuries on Gallifrey. Yet now, here, he came off as reserved, but almost friendly. _

_ "Why'd you go off-course, Ryza?" _

_ The image of a white-haired boy flickered into his mind. He waved it away, and said "Don't know." _

_ The Experiment frowned, and said "At least you're safe, Ryza." _

_ "You remembered me?" asked Ryza. The Experiment shrugged. "Thanks for saving me..." _

_ "The Doctor. Call me that. It's my name," he said slowly, hesitantly, like he was pronouncing it slowly. _

_ "Why that name?" _

_ The Doctor stiffened. He immediately exhaled, like Ryza had touched a nerve. "I don't... Just call me that, please. It is my name." _

_ "Yes," said Ryza. Something inside him, the part of him that was Infused, shifted as soon as he said that, and from then on it was hard to even think of any other name for the Doctor. He didn't have a long time to dwell on it, because a large scaly creature suddenly ripped from the muck behind them, and started to lumber toward them. And it was lumbering rather quickly. Its eyes looked like the big eyes of the P'ting goblins, newly freed from the mud, that were following it gleefully. _

_ "Is that the adult stage?' asked Ryza. _

_ "No. I think it's the other sex of P'ting. Rather fascinating!" said the Doctor. _

_ It was not as fascinating to Ryza. _

_ That was some time ago. The Doctor had gone through at least 2 bodies in that time period. She'd been getting more and more reckless since joining the Division, as if daring the Gallifreyan High command to tell her to stop, or to fire her. Most of the Division didn't even know that the Doctor was the Timeless Child--most people assumed she was a favored cousin of someone on the council. Ryza suspected the Doctor was the daughter of Tecteun, or a clone created from Tecteun's experiments who had somehow been born with the ability to regenerate. _

_ The time-ship made a wheezing, groaning sound. The Doctor unfurled herself from her seat, a smile playing on her lips. She walked over to the door, and said "So, this is a simple recon mission, right? Intel gathering?" _

_ Ryza found it hard to speak suddenly. He suddenly wished that his manger had listened to him and let him go alone on this trip. He nodded to the Doctor, and sighed deeply. His hands rummaged in his pockets, until he found what he was hoping he wouldn't. Words from many years ago echoed in his head. It gave him resolve. _

_ "Ryza, are you alright?" asked the Doctor. _

_ Ryza responded by taking out the laser rifle in his pocket, and blasting her in the heart. Three times, for each heart. The Doctor just stared, and of all things, looked betrayed. As if she considered him a friend. She stumbled around, reaching for a weapon, but she'd probably forgotten to pack one. He nearly shot her again, but six shots would do. He checked the window – they were at the right place. He slicked his hair--it'd gone white ever since that mission where he'd gotten lost--and grinned. This would be perfect. _

_ Something hit the wall beside him, and made a hissing sound, clouding the air. A simple gas canister? Was that the Doctor's trick? He turned around, to see the Doctor suddenly run past him, into the facility. No matter. She'd die soon enough of the blood loss. _

_ \------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ _

Journey could feel her brother's eyes on her. Not that he was gonna judge her, but that didn't matter--she still needed to make sure she did a good impression. She was on her way to the pilot program--and if she got top marks, she might even end up in her brother's squadron. She had to look after her brother, after all.

"Relax. I can tell you're all nervous inside," said Kai. "This is just a random meeting with an investor. We just need to walk in, say a few cool words, and then he signs a check."

"He's not just random," hissed their captain. "He's an advisor to one of the richest suppliers of arms in the Dvarok secter. Getting an audience with him cost me...well, let's just say we'd better not screw this up. You better not screw this up."

"You talking to me or Kai, Captain?"

The captain didn't respond, as the door opened, and a large mammothy shape moved into the room. It took a moment for Journey to realize it was actually a person, wearing a small black mask that covered the face, tubes sticking out where the eyeholes should be. A shaggy black fur coat covered the man's bulk, and trailed behind him. Another one, much like him but dressed in blue, followed him, and behind him was a smaller, white-haired man, dressed in black with azure eyes, and a calm, wide grin. He sat comfortably in the chair across from the captain, his 2 large bodyguards looming wide over them, casting such large shadows that Journey couldn't see.

"Hello, Captain Broderick," said the smaller man. He had a handsome look, almost youthful, tho his face occasionally twitched as he spoke. A silkiness emanated from his voice, and she could see the captain calming down as the man spoke. "I expect you have what I asked for."

"Yes. The money," said Broderick. He quickly looked at Kai, who nodded and pulled out a small black tube. Broderick snatched it and held it out toward the man. "I assume, Morbius, 10,000,000 credits is sufficient?"

10 million credits? That was more than some pilots got paid their whole career. Journey looked at Kai, who didn't look back at her, but she could see how confused he looked. And nervous, too.

Morbius' expression shifted into a look of almost disgust, but just for a moment. Then he said "Money isn't what I need. I don't care about the money--I want the soldiers. Do you have them here?"

"Ah, concerning those soldiers...well, I needed to talk to you about that. I understood that these changes you wish to make to them are biological in nature. How... impactful are they? Is it permanent?"

Morbius' face twitched. Still calm, he said "Very. And they're much more than biological. Will that be a problem?"

'Not necessarily. I just need to discuss the details more."

"Of course," said Morbius. "Let us talk in private. I can give you a live demonstration."

The captain raised his eyebrows, but nodded. Turning to Journey, he said "You and the rest of the crew go. Kai and I will discuss with Morbius."

"Sir, with due respect, I'd like to stay."

"I'll be fine, Jay," said Kai. He winked.

Journey looked at Morbius. His smile felt like a shark's. And his eyes carried a condescension that made Journey shiver.

"Fine," said Journey.

It had been five minutes pacing around the barracks, when Journey decided she’d been waiting too long. Just as she opened the door, a person with bloody wounds crashed through the door.

“Hi. Call me the Doctor. Think I’m dyin...” mumbled the lady. She wobbled, and fell. Journey caught her. The Doctor looked up, and then muttered “...Ryza...planning something...”

Her wounds were glowing. Journey wanted to go find help, but the Doctor wasn’t letting her go.

“How’d you get on the base? Are you with Morbius?”

The Doctor screamed. Louder and louder, and her wounds glowed brighter and brighter. Then she collapsed, and started convulsing. Journey felt something hit her head, and looked up to see a mini-cloud above. Raindrops fell down, pooling at the Doctor’s feet, and getting bigger and bigger, till it was like a puddle. Then the puddle started to glow blue, higher and higher, until the light blinded Journey. Electric static filled her mouth, like she’d swallowed a battery. Still, some instinct told her to keep holding on to this Doctor.

When the light was gone, the Doctor had disappeared. Just a tall pool of water.

“What the hell?” asked Journey.

The waters receded. And there was someone there. She was dressed in different clothing, wearing a white jacket that looked eerily like Journey’s own, with red trimmings on the side. Her hair had streaks of pink, and her face was soft and circular. 2 swords, in their holsters, were at her left side. Her arms seemed too small to fit in her clothes,and her fingernails were cut unevenly. The face was circular, and soft, and as her eyes opened, it reminded Journey of what a cherub’s face might look like, if it grew up to an adult. Journey wasn’t sure why it was a cherub who came to her mind—she’d only seen them in pictures of old history, back when she was young and reading books while her brother studied pilot maneuvers. But the word seemed to fit. The person stood up, and for a moment, she looked angry. Then her face melted into a smile.

“Sera. You called me Sera, back then,” said the person.

“What?” asked Journey. Some familiar memory stirred.

A scream rang out. It was Kai’s. Journey ran out the room—and saw Broderick attacking Kai. The Captain was rabid, his eyes leaking out some red liquid as he roared at Kai. Kai kept kicking and kicking, but Journey could barely see him underneath the captain’s assault. She leapt at him, trying to push him off. The Captain’s head twisted towards her, and then further, till he was staring straight at her, while his arms continued attacking Kai.

“Human pig. You are not meant for the glory of Morbius,” said the Captain. He punched Journey, and she hit the floor, blacking out for a moment. When she came to, something was on fire in front of her face. No, some fire was coming towards her face. Her pilot instincts’ kicking in, she skidded out of the way, rolling into someone’s boot. Looking up, she saw a hand grabbing for her, and she kicked it away, grabbing her weapon and pointing it at her assailant.

It was Morbius. He was still smiling calmly, as he said “You’re still alive. I thought you might have died by now. Those injuries were severe.”

“Where’s my brother?” she asked.

“Getting converted to one of my soldiers. I liked him. He was of good stock. For a human,” said Morbius. Cocking his head, he sighed out “Your species is so breakable. All your armies are bundles of twigs, waiting to be swept away. It was too easy getting your leaders to sign over their underlings for enhancements.”

Journey stared at Morbius’ expression. He was bored. “Who exactly are you? You’re not just an advisor.”

Morbius grinned. His glee turned her stomach. “No. I’m a visionary. And unfortunately, my homeworld doesn’t appreciate my insights, so now I traffic among the slugs. I think I should kill you now.”

In a blink, he stood right in front of her, and his gloved hand was at her throat.

“Am I interrupting something?” asked a voice.

Morbius released her, and slowly turned, and she could see in his eyes recognition of the cherub-faced person. “Doctor.”

“Ryza,” said this new Doctor. Journey wasn’t sure what had happened with the old one, or why this new one knew Morbius. Frankly, a lot of things were confusing her today. “What happened to you?”

“Ryza went into the woods years ago. Fell into a trap set up by one of my acolytes, a trap that was set to go off retrolinearly—as in, back in Gallifrey’s past. So that if I was executed, I might be able to affect Gallifrey at its genesis, rewriting my present. And Ryza found me, found my eidolon, and I promised him what he wanted, in return for his body. Do you know what that is, Timeless Child?”

“’Doctor’ is fine. And honestly, I don’t care what it is. Where’s my TARDIS?”

“He wanted to be rid of your Influence. To be human again. I didn’t tell him I was Gallifreyan myself, of course,” murmured Morbius.

“Of course. That’d spoil the irony,’ said the Doctor. Her stance was wobbly. “You used his fear of what he was turning into to destroy him. The Council will have your head for that.”

“Oh, I don’t think they will. Especially when they hear about the future War I can help them win. Now--”

Journey grabbed her gun and shot him. He snarled in pain and anger, and caught her as she ran away from him, squeezing her leg until she heard something crack.

Before he could finish the job, the Doctor said “Ryza, stop it, please. We survived a whole planet together.”

Morbius paused. That was enough time for the Doctor to jam a sword into his side, and then drag Journey away.

  
  


The Doctor didn’t like working with humans. Especially Earth humans. They made too much mess, and looked unnervingly like the Shobogans. And all humans from Earth gave off the sense in their time-lines of having been interfered with by the Time Lords. She didn’t know why, or why that bothered her so. Journey was staring at her strangely, as she set the human’s leg straight. The bone had been damaged, and the Doctor guessed an actual doctor would be the best thing for her. Hopefully this would do.

“Thanks for saving my life,” said Journey. Still with that strange stare. “How do you know Morbius?”

“I don’t,” said the Doctor curtly. He was from their future, and seemed to know her. But how? “He’s taken over my fellow partner. Taken my ship. So I need to leave. I can’t stay here and baby-sit you.”

“Good, because I’m not staying. My brother’s out there. I have to save him,” said the human. She pushed herself up, carefully not placing weight on her hurt leg.

The Doctor considered telling the human to stay put, then realized she might need her to navigate the ship. Plus, humans were finicky about blood-relations. Even Shobogans could be, but the Doctor had never had siblings. Just people influenced by her essence. And now that Influence had led to Ryza suffering.

“Fine. Keep up,” said the Doctor. “And if I say ‘Run’, Journey Blue, I suggest you run.”

“How do you know my name?”

The Doctor smiled, remembering that day from years ago. “Good question. Maybe I’ll tell you someday. If we survive this.”

The Doctor held out a hand, and helped Journey up. And together, they went out to deal with Morbius.


End file.
